The art of a perfect pav, it is not that hard. I will share my wisdom so you too can create a perfect pav, full of marshmallow and light crust. Heaven as it touches your taste buds.
Beat your pav in the smallest mixer bowl, or a narrow tallish bowl so that the beaters are covered in the mixture, beating the life out of it on the highest speed. After beating for 10 minutes, before adding the cornflour mix, if there are no sugar grains when you do a taste test then you have it licked (yummily).
4 egg whites (straight out of the fridge) 1 1/4 c caster sugar 1 tsp vinegar 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 tbsp cornflour
Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat egg whites till stiff. Gradually add caster sugar while beating. Beat on high speed for ten minutes. Then while beating add the vanilla essence, vinegar, then cornflour. Beat on high speed for four minutes. Line an oven tray with baking paper and draw a 20cm-diameter circle on the paper (or use a side plate). Place mixture on, spreading mixture to a 18 centimetre circle. Turn oven down to 100°C. Pace tray in oven. Bake for one hour. Turn oven off and leave pavlova in oven to cool, or leave in overnight. Cover with whipped cream and fruit.
Pavlova tips - The pavlova mixture is ready when the merangue is thick and looks glossy. - If your oven runs hot, reduce recommended cooking temperature by 10 degrees Celsius. - Pavlova does not freeze. They can be stored in an airtight container but are best served on the day of making, particularly in humid areas.
sarahb5,
Dec 2, 1:27am
Meringue
And mine always looks fab going into the oven but flattens out in the oven - it always tastes great but looks terrible. My oven is very hot so I heat it then turn it off as soon as I put the pav in.
flower-child01,
Dec 2, 11:46pm
I would set it at a lower temperature. What temp do you bake cakes and biscuits on, I would use this as the starting temperature, then lower it down for an hour. The art is the beating, and the cooking temperatures.
retired,
Dec 3, 12:06am
I have used that recipe since I first bought a Pavlova Ring in 1964 the recipe was on the packaging and called Vivian's Pavlova. I have tried several variations but always return to this one.
samanya,
Dec 3, 12:26am
I am going to give this a go . I've never been able to make a half decent pav (sponges are a different story :) Recently I had great success with a recipe from here, I was so proud of it, crispy on the outside & marshmallowy(sp) inside & it used icing sugar instead of castor sugar, but it was extremely sweet, yep I know they are supposed to be sweet, but it was a bit OTT & I'm wary to try lessening the amount of icing sugar.
willy911,
Dec 3, 2:45am
hi flower-child what size eggs do u recommend thanks
flower-child01,
Dec 3, 3:05am
samanya - This pav is not as sweet. I think you will love it. I put big emphasis on using a narrow bowl.
Willy - I always use size 7 eggs.
pom-pom,
Dec 3, 3:08am
This is identical to the pav recipe my Mum gave me. The only difference with mine is that my oven gets set to 150 to start then turned down to 120, Still works fine though.
ace441,
Dec 3, 4:16am
Another little tip - make sure you use IMITATION vanilla essence NOT Pure Vanilla Essence. - I was making a pav for a special dinner some 20 years ago and , although my pavs were always the talk of the meal, I made 3 - one after the other and they went in looking beautiful but came out like pancakes. Took me a while to figure it out but it was all down to that wee teaspoon of vanilla essence. I had purchased pure instead of imitation and this made all the difference. I still have no idea why to this day but I'm just glad I figured it out !
flower-child01,
Dec 3, 4:50pm
I use Queen Natural Vanilla essence, so I don't think it was the essence ace.
sarahb5,
Dec 5, 3:04am
No idea what temperature I cook cakes at - number have worn off the cooker ages ago, I usually try about 20 degrees lower than the recipe says because it gets too hot at the top
skylarking1,
Dec 5, 10:50pm
Another tip: add the sugar as SLOWLY as you possibly can. Must say, I have never heard of cornflour being added to the mix - sound interesting.
kiwiscrapper1,
Dec 6, 4:34am
Pavlovas can be frozen, I only ever have pure vanilla and i think the cornflour is to make it marshmallowy but I only use the recipe I have had for the last 43 years and it never fails, soft in the centre crunchy on the outside, no cornflour and pure vanilla :-)
uli,
Dec 6, 3:49pm
bump for the pavlova makers
flower-child01,
Dec 7, 12:13am
Kiwiscrapper I believe the cornflour makes the shell softer. The marshmallow is probably more then your recipe. It isn't a hard crunchy crust, but it is a crust all the same. My recipe originates from the a NZWW dated July 24 1989.
hawkeye30,
Dec 7, 12:45am
Cool thread. I also use the first recipe and have not had a fail yet (now I have said that I guess I will lol) I was told I can use a tin like a baked bean tin to pop the mix in and they turn out like mini pavs. Thinking of trying this for Xmas party plate. My q is should I line the tin with b,paper or just oil/grease. Don't think they will hav a crunchy outside! any theory's?
buzz123,
Dec 7, 1:30am
how long before Christmas can I make my perfect pavlova? My oven is a bit temperamental with a new element so wanting to get this made & done a week or two before the big day. How can I store it if I make it tomorrow? TIA
kernal1,
Dec 7, 4:53am
Never had a great problem with pavs but gave the credit to my old Kenwood mixer and a lengthy beating! Son acquired an old Kenwood and now makes as good as mine! Sadly mine became unrepairable so family arrived in with a new top of the range Kenwood! Thankfully the Pyrex bowl from my old one fits, had been told that Stainless steel is not so good. 1st Pav with this today, tried Annabel Langbeins recipe using about 1/3rd soft brown sugar, instead of all Caster sugar. Not a great lot of difference! I add both corn flour and 1/2 teasp Baking powder. New oven so temps not 100%, outer crust collapsed a little but soft centre super! I have always just piled mixture on grease proof, use a wet knife to shape, keeping as high as possible as does spread a little and when taken out just turn upside down, greaseproof comes off easily and gives an almost flat top to add cream etc. Another thread suggests adding Vanilla pod seeds to cream, few days before, shake daily and makes taste even better! Earlier thread also says about freezing but never tried, cook night before if day required no time, leave overnight in oven and will still be fine.
tinkagirl,
Dec 7, 5:16pm
When I had an old oven I would turn it to 200 degrees and put the pav in for 2 mins. I would then turn it off and leave the pav for about 1 1/2 hours and they were always perfect. We moved house and I have a wonderful new wall oven but they have the gap at the top of the door so I cools down way quicker. Now my pav's fail so it looks like I have to keep the oven turned on. What temp does anyone cook their pav at if they have the modern oven like mine.
I have always cooked my pavs in a round cake tin, that way I always get a good height on it. Either line the tin with baking paper or grease the tin then rinse it with cold water. Have never had trouble with freezing them.
flower-child01,
Dec 7, 7:31pm
I have never frozen one, this was advice from one of our expert cooks. I might give it a shot and see. I have a busy week next week, tomorrow I have rheumatology and daily radiotherapy so kept busy. No time for the wicked. Am baking my xmas cake and steaming my pud tonight. I have a two in one recipe, which like my pav have used it for years.
flower-child01,
Dec 7, 7:33pm
A quick read on the net states - The ingredient that differentiates a pavlova shell from a classic meringue -- corn flour -- also makes it more conducive to freezing. Both meringues and pavlova shells contain the same primary ingredients -- egg whites and sugar. But corn flour, which gives the pavlova shell its marshmallow-like interior consistency, prevents the crisp edges of the shell from softening upon thawing, like classic meringues do. When they're thawed, pavlova shells maintain their structure, so you can add the classic filling ingredients -- whipped cream and soft fruits -- in the last few minutes before serving.
How to Once cold transfer the baking sheet from the oven to the freezer. If your freezer isn't large enough to hold the pan, transfer the pavlova to a plate -- without taking it off the parchment paper. Freeze the pavlova shell until it is firm throughout, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Take the pavlova shell out of the freezer and carefully wrap it in freezer paper. Place it in a heavy-duty freezer bag, and mark the date on the bag. Use within one month for best results.
Tips & Warnings •Thaw the pavlova meringue at room temperature for two hours before serving time. Assemble the pavlova a la minute, or as close as possible to serving time.
willyow,
Dec 7, 9:14pm
Pure Vanilla extract is usually 35% alcohol (FDA Single Fold Minimum Standard) and that will probably flatten a Pav. Even Queen which is a sugar based extract, has some alcohol in it. Maybe save the Pure Vanilla Extract for the cream that goes on top and try some vanilla pod seeds in the pav mix. Vanilla pods are the seed pods of the Vanilla Orchid and the seed is like a fine dust ( tiny seeds) so I would expect that would flavour a Pav nicely, but not stop it being light and fluffy.
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